A Word from Bob: I’ve taken today’s blog post from my 31-day devotional, Grief: Walking with Jesus. 

“And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:10-11).

Do Something Great! 

It should be clear by now. Grief shadows our vision. It so clouds our perspective that we only see the painful past and the empty present.

The gospel opens the eyes of our hearts. We see our crucified Savior. Jesus is a suffering Savior intimately acquainted with our grief. It’s normal to hurt. 

He is a compassionate Savior lovingly consoling us in our grief. It’s possible to find comfort in our hurt.

But we don’t stop there. We see our resurrected Savior. Jesus is a healing Savior compassionately speaking eternal truth into our earthly wounds. It’s possible to grieve with hope.

He is an empowering Savior mightily enabling us to comfort others with the comfort we receive from God. It’s supernatural to love in the midst of loss.

Peter learned this lesson in John 21 when Jesus invites Peter to come and have breakfast with him. During their meal, Peter receives Jesus’ personal commission—shepherd others!

This has been a core message of our devotional. When your heart breaks, turn to the suffering Shepherd and through his comfort and in his strength comfort and shepherd others also. Do something great for your great Savior by serving others.

Remember the Future! 

The gospel also opens our eyes to the ascension and return. That’s the rest of the story. When we forget the end of the story, we’re tempted to live as if this life is the only story.

The disciples were like that. When they came together after his resurrection they asked Jesus:

“Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).

In other words, “Will you fix us now? Will you fix everything now?” They were willing to settle for temporary recovery. Jesus exhorted them to wait hopefully for the final restoration. And while they wait, like Peter in John 21, they are to do something great.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

But witnessing in the middle of a battlefield can get exhausting, can’t it? So we need a final reminder of the end of the story.

“‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:9-11).

The end of the story is not crucifixion. Not even resurrection. Not even ascension. The end of the story is Jesus’ return! May this description of the end of your story invade and impact your daily story today.

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away’” (Revelation 21:3-4).

Applying Gospel Truth to Your Grief Journey 

Do Something Great! Look upward to Christ and live outward for others. What great act of service is God calling you to and empowering you for—even in the midst of your grief?  

Remember the Future! How can remembering that great future day impact your gospel-grief journey with Jesus today?